Miss Fantastic
by BecauseI'mageek
Summary: Charles Xavier thought he was powerful. Well, that was before he met Lena Richards, daughter of Mr Fantastic and the Invisible Woman.
1. Chapter 1- Ties with Seattle

A/N This is a sort of Xmen, Avengers and Fantastic four all in one, but as in the awesome Marvel comics, they are all allies, I dont think it counts as a Crossover. Please let me know what you think. This particular story will be mainly Xmen though.

This is set plot wise in First Class, but in the 21st century.

I own nothing, and everything belongs to other people.

I hope you like this, I have been planning it for a while. I would love to hear what you think, so let me know! :-)

Geeky xx

Chapter one - Ties to Seattle

Hank joins up another pair of wires, then flicks a couple of switches. Cerebro clunks and hisses, roaring into life.

Charles closes his eyes, preparing for his mind to search for the last mutant to join the new team they are gathering to defeat Shaw. Could he possibly be more nervous, even after all the other fantastic people they have recruited?

Erik leans against the stair rail.

'Make it a good one Charles. Find somebody who can really help us.'

'Yes, thank you Erik.' Charles snaps.

Despite his clear irritation, inside he is excited. Cerebro has given him that chance to wield his powers like never before, has given him the chance to be free. If only his happy thoughts weren't clouded by the reason they had to search for these mutants.

Hank lets out a long breath.

'Ready when you are, Charles.'

Charles opens his eyes, and lets his mind escape.

His keen mind rushes through the fog, searching for colour amongst the grey. He sees a young child, dressed in blue. A few teenagers, standing over a small child bursting with light.

Then he sees her. The power radiating from her is blinding, her mutation is so strong. This is the one. He searches closer, and hears in the distance the coordinates being printed. Yes!

Before he goes back, he looks at the girl again. She looks about his age, mid twenties, with long brown hair falling to her shoulder blades. He recognises something about her, and she reminds him of a friend, something he can't quite place.

Charles finds it difficult to stop looking at this beautiful, beautiful girl, and retreats back to where his friends are waiting.

Once the helmet is off his head, he dashes over to the coordinates printed on the thick CIA paper.

He recognises the coordinates. Seattle. A department store. Somewhere he hasn't been in a very long time.

Hank coughs, and Charles hands him the paper. Erik looks worriedly at him.

'Something wrong?' He says. Charles denies this, but then says,

'I need to find this one on my own.' None of them understand his links with Seattle. Not even Raven.

Erik looks blankly at him. They have always done this together. It shocks Erik, almost like a betrayal. But something in Charles' reaction to the coordinates, and whoever he found, makes him just nod curtly.

Without a word, the three men walk across the green lawns, and inside to where Moira and Raven are waiting.

Charles walks straight past them, muttering something about needing to pack.

Moira raises her eyebrows at his retreating figure, then turns to Erik. Raven takes the same reaction as Erik did, and Erik can see she feels betrayed by Charles' lack of response to the questions she fired at him when he came through the door. Then, like Erik, she swallows her upset, and concentrates on something else.

Erik gestures for the girls and Hank to follow him into the room leading off from the narrow hallway they are currently standing in. They do so, then settle themselves in armchairs, looking expectantly at the tall man.

'He said he had to do this one alone.'

'Why?' This question from Raven doesn't surprise Erik in the slightest.

'He didn't say.'

Moira speaks up next. 'I suppose we let him do it then. I don't suppose he is going to come to any harm.'

Erik is ready to tell Moira that she can go put that thought somewhere, when a look from Raven stops him.

She says she agrees with Moira, as she knows Charles, and believe he won't do anything stupid. Erik believes this as much as he believes that the world is flat, but now he is outnumbered. Anything else he says will just be ignored.

Charles leans back against the cold wall, head in his hands. He knew this would come back to him.

Seattle is the base of the Fantastic Four. His friends who always admired his mutation. His friends he encouraged to take a flight that led to the rearrangement of their atoms such that it gave them powers, powers like those born with mutations.

This Charles will never forgive himself for. He did this, he had a part to play in the harming of his friends. It's his closest guarded secret.

Even Raven doesn't know of his involvement with the Fantastic Four. Whatever the girl has to do with the Fantastic Four, whatever happened to her is probably his fault.

He supposes he should pack something, but he can't imagine what he will need. His wallet is his pocket, money for the train fare and anything else he might need. It will be an overnight train to Seattle, so better take a jacket to use as a blanket. Apart from that, he doesn't want to take anything that might slow him down. In case he needs to run away.

But this girl, he hasn't met her but he already knows he will do anything for her.

The sense of urgency he feels in connection to finding this girl, and finding out who or what she is inspires Charles to do reckless things. As he walks quickly away from the base, without telling a soul of his departure, he feels a smidgen of guilt.

He leaves a message for Raven that will only register once they realise he is gone. Which, considering it is the the middle of the night, will not be until he is safely on his way to Seattle.

Charles purchases the ticket then sits down in the waiting area, checking the clock nervously. He's been monitoring the thoughts of his friends ten miles away, and they might be close to waking now. They could realise his absence any time now.

The train will arrive in ten minutes, a voice over the crackly intercom tells him. But Charles has learned never to trust train timetables. When they say ten minutes, really they mean fifteen.

These fifteen minutes are the worst of his life so far. He can only sit there are he senses his friends waking, then the panic afterward. Even the message he left with Raven doesn't calm them.

When the voice tells him the train is here, he is out of his chair like a cork out a bottle, and soon he is boarding the empty train to Seattle.

His head rests against the faded green seat, his blue jacket over him.

Charles looks at the blank ceiling, and remembers another blank ceiling.

But those days are gone,he tells himself. Sleep.

And he does.

Charles is woken by the soft humming of the train as it speeds into Seattle. As he sits up, and opens his eyes, the light blinds him ,and he groans.

Someone laughs. 'Rough night?' A man sitting near him asks. Charles can see the man is most definitely not sober, and now he realises it, the whole carriage stinks of alcohol.

Thank goodness the train is pulling into the station.

He wanders the streets aimlessly. He knows exactly where he needs to go, but needs some time before hand. In all of his desperation to find this girl, who haunted his dreams last might, he never really planned what he was going to say when he got there.

To find this girl, he would most likely have to speak to Reed or Sue Richards, or maybe Jonny or even Ben. Either way, they would be her employers, so he was going to have to speak to them.

He knew they held no grudge over what had happened to them, but it didn't make it any easier. When he saw his old friends, all he could think of was the young people he had encouraged into their doom.

Charles' feet stop in front of the door to the department store. It has been successfully run by the Richards for years, and only about 10 people know of the secret house and base behind the slippers on the second floor.

This is where Charles heads as he guides himself through the maze of items.

When he enters the base, he is met by someone he didn't expect to see. The girlo stands in front of him, holding a clipboard.

She's small, and in person she looks quite fiesty, Charles can see a determination that he assumes is always present in her green eyes. These eyes examine him from top to bottom, before she smiles.

Charles dips into her mind, but is almost hammered out again immediately. Her smiles turns to a frown and she throws 'Stay out of my head!' Mentally at him.

Charles blushes, astounded.

'Telepath?' He asks, impressed.

She smirks. 'Amongst other things.' She walks off, and some how he knows to follow her. It's like he's known her for years.

Eventually she knocks on a door bearing the name of Reed Richards. This is is Charles, he thinks.

The girl looks worriedly at him, before he throws his shields up, blocking out her curious mind. She smiles , then pushes open the door.

Reed Richards, genius and millionaire at only 27, looks up, and freezes when he sees Charles. It's been two years since he saw his friend, and it's fair to say he is more than a bit surprised.

Charles explains the nature of his coming. The girl stays, sitting in an armchair. Charles knows she is listening to very word.

Reed smiles when he hears Charles' news.

'There's something very special about this girl, Charles, something even I don't understand.'

The girl snorts at Reed's words, rising from her chair then standing behind Reed.

The resemblance between the two people in front of him hits Charles like a snow plough.

'This is Eleanor. Or Lena. Lena Richards. She's my daughter.' Reed says this as though it is the most casual thing in the world.

'How?' Asks a confused Charles. 'You are the same age?'

'Yes.' Says Lena. 'Well, I am sorta his daughter. A few years ago, as you know, he created am alternate reality, similar to this one. But time in that universe moves faster than it does here, and I am the daughter from the alternate reality. But my mum dropped me into this reality when I was ten, meaning I grew up with the original version of my parents. Confusing, I know.' She smiles, crossing her arms.

'What can you do? Your mutation allowed me to find you, but I assume they aren't the only powers you have.' Charles tells her.

She smiles again. 'You are correct. I inherited my elasticity from my father( she reaches across the room ,her arm stretching) and my invisibility and power with force fields from my mother. I was also born with the mutation to copy other mutants or 'special peoples' powers and use them as my own. This was first recognised when I met you Charles, when we were small. It was a future you, but I manage to copy your powers. You retained them, as what I do involves my atoms copying the DNA required to make the mutation possible. Using this, I have some of the powers of the human torch, and also super human strength given to me by Captain America in my time in the Avengers. I was trained in combat by Clint Barton, and he has been my friend since I arrived here. I didn't really feel like staying with parents the same age as me, so I sought a friend.'

Charles stares at her. If he can get this girl on his side, Shaw doesn't stand a chance.


	2. Chapter 2- Telepaths!

Telepaths!

A/N Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first chapter, please let me know what you think of this!

I can't do italics, sorry, so from now on any telepathic communication will have apostraohes( 'hello') and non telepathic speech marks( "hello").

Enjoy!

Lena wants to go with this Charles Xavier. It sounds like him and his friends need her help, and what is the point of being who she is without helping people. Her parents and godfather certainly used their powers for good. As does Clint.

Any future away from her fathers department store and the rain of Seattle is welcoming to her. She has to do something. Lena can't go back to the Avengers that she worked with for two years, not when they still haven't forgiven themselves for Loki's actions towards her. She persuaded them she was find, but then they heard her screams at night. Her memories of that dark cell in Asgard.

She forgives them, but has to stay true to her word that she will not return to their ranks until they can look her in the eyes and tell them that they don't blame themselves for what she endured. If only she didn't miss Clint so much.

That's another reason she wants to go. To take her mind off her best friend. And only friend.

So maybe going with Xavier will be good for her. Lena doesn't need to use her telepathic mind reading skills to know her father doesn't want her to go. Yet another thing Loki ruined was her fathers trust in her. Which is why she has been stuck here for two years, ever since she blew up Loki's palace. He wasn't harmed.

Also, this man is a telepath. A mutant. Someone like her. Yes, some of her powers she inherited, but the rest she gained through her mutation. Her parents never really understood that. He's like her. Well, of course he is, he is who she copied the mutation of telepathy from. A much more powerful version of him, but him nether the less.

This time, it's not like with Loki, or the Avengers. This time, there's him. Standing there, all blue eyes and dark hair.

So it's not just her fighter instinct and desperation to be seen that is making this decision. A small part of her heart is telling her to go as well. However cheesy that may sound.

Despite her fathers best wishes, she is going to leave him and go with this man. Lena's seen inside his mind a friend who is insecure of herself, and Lena wants to help her. She also sees his confusion at Lena's identity. Why didn't he know? The question bashes against the sides of his head as he turns it over and over in his mind. Well, he promised not to look in their minds, but keeping a thing like that hidden takes a lot of work.

Maybe Charles doesn't trust Reed as much as he did. This is why he finds himself dipping into Reed's mind, searching for any reason he may of had from hiding Lena from him.

Lena notices, then tries to talk to him.

'Get out of his head, Xavier. I can explain everything.' He staggers, then talks back.

'How did you do that?'

'Do what?'

'Get inside my head!' She smirks at his comments.

Reed notices that they've been communicating, muttering something under his breath.

'Bloody telepaths' Charles smiles. There's the Reed he knows. Little does he know how often he is going to be hearing that phrase.

Out loud, Lena says,

"We'd best get going." Reed bits his lip, then stands up, hugging his daughter.

"Be careful. Send me news." He says, and Charles can see his true parenting instincts kicking in. Lena smiles at her dad.

"I'll be fine" she reassures him.

"Of course you will. Good girl." Then he shakes hands with Charles, wandering off. Lean seems perplexed, but Charles sends her a message,

'He's rubbish at goodbyes.' She frowns at the open door.

'I noticed.'

Charles feels a headache coming on. Looks like this telepath business is going to need some practice.


	3. Chapter 3- Explain!

Explain?

A/N Hi everyone (again!) but hey its February and I like snow and it's cold but yeah please read, review and let me know what you think!

Using their combined persuasive powers, Charles and Lena were able to empty a whole carriage.

Lena locked the door, although she was sitting from way across the room.

"You said you gained your powers from me?" Charles asks her, intrigued, staring as the cold bolt of metal slides across the door. "So how come you can do that?". He's quite apprehensive. This girl has met his future self. When she was small, but he obviously trusted her enough to give her his powers.

"Yes, I did." She crosses her arms. "But before I explain anything about that, I believe you want to know how my parents managed to hide me from you all these years?" She's reading his mind again, and he doesn't like it. Charles had never really thought about how annoying it would be for people he used his gift on that were aware of what he was doing. Lena senses this, and smiles.

"There are a lot of things your gift allows us to do which is annoying." He nods, of course he knows this. Boy, Erik isn't going to be pleased. He gets annoyed enough with one mind reader around, let alone two.

"Who is Erik?" Lena asks.

"Can't you read my mind?"

"I am not prying into your thoughts."

"How do you know every thought I'm thinking then?" He snaps, rather annoyed at her already.

She winces slightly at his harsh tone, but soon regains her confident exterior. "I am hardly reading your mind then, your thoughts are practically screaming to be discovered."

He feels quite deflated by this, that after all his years of putting up wards one person can easily take them down. At least she's on his side.

She's doesn't say anything to this, just smiles.

"Tell me then." Says Charles. "How they did it." He sits opposite her, and rests his clasped hands on the thin plastic table. She leans back, closing her eyes.

"It was pretty simple really. I went through the Doorway between the two realities when I was ten, and appeared in the bedroom of my mum and my uncle, the Storms, the same age as them. Somehow they knew who I was, like a flick had been switched. My mum spent the best part of her teenage years looking for Reed Richards, and when we finally found him when we were 15, he knew as well. You knew them when they were 20, yes?" He nods. "So anyway, during our teenage years I had been with my mother, but when we met my dad we also met Clint Barton, and it was decided that I would stay with him. We were the best of friends, and he taught me all my combat skills, and my father taught me science. Between them, they made me into a supreme super hero." She chuckles softly under her breath. "When we met my dad, I decided no one should know. So, using the telepathic skills I had gained when I was 2, I placed blockades in their minds so that if anyone came rummaging for any knowledge of me, all they would find was a concrete wall. Their memories of me were left, but no one could find out about me, not even the strongest telepath, because I was that person. I ran away to join the Avengers." She lifts up her hands, shrugging. "Simple trick you taught me."

He gets up, and paces around the carriage. It makes sense, of course, but why would she run away from her parents?

"The same reason any teenager runs away. I wanted to be different. To be unique."

"What happened with the Avengers? I could sense unease to do with something that happened with them when your father was letting you leave. Then, show me what you can do. The whole reason I came to this city was to recruit you due to your mutation." The second part isn't really a question, but, Lena reasons, fair enough. She smiles to herself. This will be fun.

"I joined the Avengers two years after Clint did, when I was 22. Before then, I had been a waitress in New York. Clint caught me on the subway. Took me to SHIELD. The rest of the Avengers believed, at the beginning that I was useless, had only got in because of my friendship with Clint. That was before I beat the crap out of all of them." This part makes her smile every time she thinks of it.

Charles chortles gently, but doesn't make any move to interrupt her, so she continues,

"I was with them for three years, saving the world and stuff, until I was captured by Loki. He took me to Asgard. From this worlds point of view, I was there for two days. But in Asgardian time, that was two years. Once the Avengers realised what they'd done to me, they were overwhelmed with guilt. I told them until they forgave themselves, I wouldn't see them again. So I left. That was two years ago. I haven't seen any if them since. But if our new team of superheroes gets desperate about this Shaw guy I am sure I can get them."

Charles is shocked. Such a dark past for someone so young. It's clear she's seen much sorrow and pain in her life, and he almost feels guilty for dragging her into what is sure to be another time of sorrow.

"Shut up." She says. "I won't have anyone else feeling guilty." He's also going to have to work on his shields if this girl is going to be around.

She stands up, and lifts her hands. They light up, covered in fire. Just like the Human Torch. He jumps, and she says, 'no, just my hands' in answer to his thought question. He winces slightly at the telepathic communcation he hasn't quite got used to yet.

She looks apologetic. Then her arm stretches, long and thin, opening the window next to Charles' shoulder. A welcome breeze hits his face, and he smiles.

She dissaperes completely.

"Now you are just showing off!" He laughs, turning just to see if she appears.

The sun is setting now, as she sleeps. Charles stares out the window, watching redness seep over the countryside. He's never quite felt at home here, an English boy in New York. He wonders if she feels like that too. Her distinct English accent shocked him at first, but he quickly remembered and got used to the British accent he generally only hears in his own voice.

He wonders why she left her home in Seattle so quickly. But then, where is home to her? Possibly in another dimension, another reality. Does she want to go back? He'll have to ask her.

He's glad he found her. Not only will she make a very valuable member of the team when they finally encounter Shaw( which he knows they will, no matter how hard he tries to ignore it) and he thinks Raven will like her. Yes, her mutation isn't as visible as Raven's, but most girls can't stretch their limbs to over 1,000 feet of cover their hands with fire at will. Raven has always wanted a friend who is a girl, rather than just Charles, with the emotional range of a teaspoon, as she most kindly put it.

Erik isn't going to be pleased about having two telepaths around though. And, from what she's shown that she can do just with her mind, she might have to teach him things. Like how to stop her reading his every thought. Charles had never really realised how annoying and invading his mutation must seem to others.

They will against Shaw. He knows they will. They have to. They will. They must.

A/N I hope that cleared up any questions; if you have any please let me know in the lovely little box in the corner of your screen!

BecauseI'mageek


	4. Chapter 4- Meet the gang

Meet the gang

Aiysha searches. She can see Charles, walking up the drive, a girl beside him. This hasn't happened yet, but she knows it will.

She sighs with relief, leaning back in her chair. He's going to be okay. Charles is fine.

Raven notices her relief and rushes over, hope kindling in her eyes.

They've been worried sick, Charles dissapering in the night like that. The stupid message he left in Raven's mind didn't help, just made them more worried.

Raven remembers that he flinches every time anyone mentions Seattle. That's where the coordinates for the final recruit were. Even she doesn't know everything about Charles' past. Although she may not be good at keeping secrets, he certainly is.

Aiysha confirms Charles' safety. Erik stops flinging cutlery at the wall and sinks into an armchair. Moira looks relieved just by Erik stopping flexing his powers. She alone can see the danger Erik could pose to them.

Alex goes over to Aiysha and fiddles with her white blond hair, making her smile.

Sean mimes throwing up. They laugh, and it feels like such a long time. Aiysha, when she was searching, first saw danger for Charles. A beach. A gun.

She blocks out the memories. She hasn't told anyone. Not even Alex.

Her mutation hurts sometimes, and it's best she keeps the hurt inside. Because she can heal the hurt.

Charles is in trouble. Not dangerously so, but he's in trouble with Raven. How dare he leave her like that! With only a stupid message implanted in her mind telling her he'd be fine.

Men! She thinks exasperatedly. They never think these things through.

He's been gone for 18 hours, and not a word.

Hank has been monitoring the CCTV of the CIA base feverishly since Charles left. If there is any sight of him, or anyone else for that matter, they will know about it quickly.

Charles left to find the last member of the team, and however much it has worried them, Raven is glad Charles left quickly. She's eager to meet the new mutant, and Charles being away has allowed her to get to know Erik a little more.

He's filled with so much anger, and she can see being around all these people doesn't help. When he returns, she'll speak to Charles about moving them from the CIA base. These people don't trust them, and they work better alone. The only reason she hadn't mentioned it before was that they needed Cerebro to track the mutants.

Moira paces. She knows Charles shouldn't have left like that, but she wouldn't have minded particularly if he'd told them first. She surprised he didn't even tell Raven, just left that stupid message in her mind. She can see Erik is angry about it too, so she's been keeping her distance. Charles had expressed to her the importance that she, as a non mutant, stay out of Erik's way.

Erik resumes throwing cutlery at the wall. He uses all the anger he has, and that is rather a lot, into forcing those metal knifes into the wall. The wall is covered in holes from where they have been shoved in, and then where they have janked themselves out to fly back to Erik. As usual, one hand is playing with a silver coin, which is flipping between his fingers.

Hank yells suddenly, and Sean and Raven rush over to the monitor. Moira stares out the window, squinting for any sight of Charles.

They can see him, on the drive, a small girl behind him. This must be the new recruit. Charles does look incredibly pleased with himself.

As if he can sense their eyes watching him, Charles waves cheerily at the camera hidden up a tree. The girl laughs, and follows him up the drive.

They all walk outside to greet the two travellers.

Raven's anger dissipates when she sees Charles, and she runs to hug him. Erik's doesn't though, and he stares at Charles, glaring, coin still diving between his fingers.

Charles outs his hands in his pockets.

"Right, everyone, I would like you to meet our newest recruit, Eleanor Richards." He gestures to the girl, who smiles.

"I'm Lena." She says.

"She's very dangerous." Says Charles, obviously reading their minds and wondering what mutation this girl could have.

Alex is wondering what such a small girl could do. He's a good six foot, and she's probably only about up to his shoulders, maybe a little smaller.

He blinks. Hey, she wasn't that small before. She's now the same height as Charles, who comes up to Alex's chin. He must have misjudged her height.

Alex blinks again. She is now certainly a few inches taller than Charles. What the hell is going on. He looks at her legs, and sees in shock that her legs are disproportionately long, and he stares at her.

Charles laughs.

"Stop it Lena." Alex looks at him. "She's messing with your head." Charles very briefly explains. The girl is now smiling broadly, back to her original height of about up to Charles' nose.

'So what can you do then?' Asks Raven. Lena smiles again.

"Let's go inside first." Says Charles, and there is a mischievous look in his eyes when he says this. Raven doesn't seen this look often, but it's one of her favourites.

They follow him inside, looking warily at Lena. Who knows what dangerous powers she could have; Charles obviously didn't want any cameras about. Well, I suppose, thought Raven, Shaw could easily hack in and discover Lena and the rest of us.

When Charles turns town towards the secret bunker in the basement of the already spacious CIA base, Moira makes up some excuse about cooking. She doesn't have to be a telepath to know she's not wanted.

Down in the bunker, Lena walks into the middle of the hard wood floor, the others lining up in front of her.

"Instead of telling you, I think I'd rather show you most of it." She gives them a brief run down of her actual mutation and what it allows her to do, as well as the powers she was born with. Needless to say, they are impressed.

Hank flicks a switch and a few dummies come out of the wall. "I know this isn't great," he says, "but just as a warm up?"

Lena nods, and there is a determination in her mind that sends the rest of them into the room next door, watching through the glass window.

All of a sudden, her hands light up, covered in dancing red and orange flames. Aiysha gasps, but Charles just laughs. Something about this tells them this is only a small extent of what this girl can do.

Her arm stretches, far beyond its normal capacity, and sets fire to the furthest dummy. Her hands are no longer on fire, and then she leaps over to he second dummy, karate kicking it, it's head flying clean off.

She shrugs; turns to the glass. Then she dissaperes.

Thirty seconds later, and she appears again, sitting next to Raven in a chair. "That's about as much as I can show you without a real opposition."

This isn't a statement, so much as a challenge. Alex, of course, stands up. "Challenge accepted."

She nods, and the smile is back.

Alex groans as he comes back downstairs. Everything hurts. It's fair to say he was downright squished by the nimble, almost cat like girl Charles brought back with him as the last member of their team.

Charles, Erik and Moira are absent, probably planning their 'grown up stuff'. Alex wonders if she'll join them. She is 25, only a year younger than Charles.

Lena is sitting cross legged in an armchair, talking to Raven about something. Alex sees Angel give her a look, but shrugs it off. Girls.

Sean cheers.

"Here comes the heroic fighter!" Hank sniggers at Sean's comment.

Lena sits up, surveying them all as Alex sinks into one of the squishy sofas.

"So, I've shown you what I can do, what about you?" She does have a point.

Raven, confidence swelling like a balloon, shifts herself into a mirror image of the girl in front of her.

Lena gasps, and it's like looking in a mirror. She's never seen anything like it.

"That's amazing!" She says, and Raven can't help but smile. This girl can stay!

'Well, I'm Alex. Energy."

"Angel. I can fly"

"Sean. I scream"

"Darwin. Adapt to survive."

"Aiysha. I can heal myself quickly and I have future sense."

And finally,

"Hank. Brains and..." He swallows. "Feet." Lena senses his fear at not being normal. She stretches out her arm past average length. Maybe if he sees he's not the only abnormal one...?

"It's lovely to meet you Hank." She's relieved to see Hank relaxes slightly at her words, and he feels more relaxed.

Raven has an idea.

"So, Lena, we all have code names, what is yours going to be?" Lena stares at her. "Well, if you are going to be part of the team..." Raven lifts her hands, shrugging.

Lena leans back, pondering.

"Well, both my parents were super heroes, Mr Fantastic and the Invisible Woman."

" the fantastic four?"

"The very same."

"Cool!" This is Sean.

"I think I'd like to stick to something that reminds me of them. I'll go with Miss Fantastic."

"Good one." Says Aiysha thoughtfully. "Much better than Euphoria."

"Hey!" Alex pretends to look wounded. "That was one of our better ones!" Aiysha raises her eyebrows. "Well, it's true. You make everyone happy."

Lena senses something there, something painful coming to the surface of Aiysha's conscience. It is shoved down, but Lena knows it is there. She'll speak to her later.

There's a bang outside, and they gasp. Lena turns invisible just before a man wearing a metal helmet enters the room. He hasn't seen her.

Her telepathic message tells the others to shush, and they flinch slightly.

'We need to get the helmet off!' She tells them. 'Its our only hope.'

But she knows they don't have much.


	5. Chapter 5- Shaw

Shaw

A/N Hello again! I own nothing, it all belongs to wonderful Marvel!

Lena(A/N Pronounced Lay-na) links her mind with the other mutants. Her energy levels are dropping fast, and any minute now she going to have to drop a link or become visible. Both could be disastrous.

This man they know as Shaw smiles.

"That telepath isn't here is he?" No one moves. "Guess I can take this stupid thing off then."

The minute the helmet leaves his head, he freezes in place. Riptide and Azazel jump and look around for the source of the attack. The invisible attack.

Alex hits Riptide with a blast of energy, and Azazel is frozen before he can move.

Lena loses her invisibility, and drops some links. "Quick." She pants, all energy drained out of her. "I can't hold Shaw for long."

A flash of anger goes through Shaw's eyes. He fighting over the control of his head pretty strongly.

Sean screams, and Riptide falls unconscious. Alex sends a blast at Azazel, hitting his arm, burning it.

Lena screams. Aiysha rushes over to her.

"Lena, Lena, what is it." Lena curls up into a ball, whimpering. She sends out a telepathic message.

'I don't have much energy left. Take down Shaw.' She knows it is going to hurt.

Angel goes over to Lena, and spits fire all over her. Aiysha shoves her backwards, swearing loudly, but the damage is done.

Shaw unfreezes and jams the helmet back on his head quickly. Alex sends a stream of red light at Shaw, but nothing happens.

He just holds the ball of energy between his hands, smiling maliciously.

Darwin steps up to him, fist raised. Shaw's hand flies up, effectively blocking the punch. Then he shoves the ball of light down his throat, and Raven shudders.

They all have to watch whilst their friend dies. Raven turns to Angel, ready to strangle her. But Angel is gone.

She had taken the hand of Azazel, and now their enemy, as well as a friend, has gone.

Raven joins Aiysha by the small form of Lena.

"Hey, Lena. What's up." She smiles slightly. "You did it."

Lena laughs hoarsely.

"Define did it."

"What hurts?" Aiysha asks soothingly.

"Everything." She says. "I can feel a massive headache coming on, and Angel's fireballs didn't help my overall feeling of being burned alive."

Alex gasps. "You felt whatever they felt?"

Lena nods sadly. "Sorry I didn't tell you. You wouldn't have fought him otherwise."

They have to agree, however horrible it is. If she had told Alex that if he burnt Azazel she also felt as though he was burning, Alex wouldn't have injured him.

Aiysha helps Lena over to what remains of a sofa, and they both sit.

Alex apologises and apologises until Lena threatens to turn his clothes invisible.

"I've had enough of people not forgiving themselves for things that have happnened to me."

This makes her think of Clint, which hurts. Her best friend, and she left him. True, he left her when joining the Avengers, but they still saw each other. It's been radio silence for over a year.

Charles mind reaches all of them, and he's panicked beyond belief.

'Raven!' He mentally screams. 'Raven!' Lena picks up his thoughts ten times louder than the rest, and her searing headache gets worse.

'She is fine Charles!' Lena replies. 'Stop shouting, it hurts the others but I'm tuned to pick up these things so its like you are bashing on my head with a frying pan!'

'Sorry.' He says. 'Are you okay Lena? You sound hurt.'

'I'm not really. Just get your but in here right now.'

'You've been here a week and you are already ordering me about?'

'Yes Charles. Get over it.'

Charles smiles. Erik throws his hands up in the air in frustration.

"Bloody Telepaths!' He mutters. Moira can't help but agree with him.

Erik throws open the doors into the large, wrecked room. Charles runs starlight over to Raven, hugging her tightly. She's still slightly smug that he came for her first.

Raven has seen the way he looks at Lena. He loves her, even if he doesn't know it yet. People who didn't know Charles might say he was just in love with the idea of her, a beautiful, witty girl who understands him. But Raven knows it is real.

She thinks Moira might have seen it too, as she doesn't look too happy when Charles walks over to Lena, asking her if she is okay.

Sean is staring at the pile of ashes that used to be Darwin. He hasn't moved for the past ten minutes or so.

Sean thinks. How can life be taken away so easily? Something so precious, it should be guarded, kept under lock and key. Instead it is flaunted, flung around, put in danger. It can be easily snatched away from those who deserve it. Darwin deserved his life. It was more precious than money, than jewels, than anything Shaw could have promised them. Life is what keeps us going. Life has true value, and that is what Shaw is truly trying to take away from them.

He cries, not scared or afraid of what anyone else might think. Darwin was his friend, and he's gone. His life snatched away from him, when Sean should have been protecting that life. He should have stopped Darwin when he risked himself to protect their lives.

This emotion fills his mind, and is now unintentionally bashing its self on the well guarded doors of the minds of Charles and Lena. It's so powerful, they have to let it in.

Charles feels tears pouring down his cheeks, and sees Lena crying as well. Sean pours out his emotion through this bridge between the three of them, balancing their grief, lessening the weight for each person.

They have each other. And this life must be guarded. Sean swears to himself, no other person will die unless he can help it. Life to too valuable, too precious, to be thrown away.


	6. Chapter 6- Somewhere new

Somewhere new

A/N Hello! I own nothing, it all belongs to wonderful Marvel

Charles directs Moira, map open across his lap. He never had to drive to his mansion when he was little, because he never left. Once they get within 10 miles or so, he won't need this map (and let's face it, he'll get rid of it anyway because it's embarrassing you can't direct someone to your own home without a map) to find his way to the large gravel driveway.

He's quite nervous about what the others are going to say. The mansion is perfect, of course, it secluded, there is plenty of space and a lab for Hank. There's even a bunker where he can train Alex. But he's seen what Erik grew up in, practically the polar opposite to Charles' childhood. If Erik wasn't moody enough already, this is surely going to put him in a bad mood.

In the back of the van, the other mutants watch the green countryside roll past the small window. Raven personally thinks that she should be the one directing Moira, as Charles never went out, but she found her way to the mansion using her instincts. Charles is only up in the front because Moira fancies him.

Lena picks up on this stray thought and frowns. She doesn't know why it should annoy her, but it does.

Raven senses her friends discomfort and looks at her questioningly. She thinks about what Lena could have just seen in her mind, and compares it to what Lena told her in secret the other day.

"Don't worry." She says. "I know Charles, and he doesn't like her that way." Lena smiles, and scans Raven's mental pattern for any hint that she might be lying. She could easily just search Charles' brain to see whether he likes her or not, but she did promise him she wouldn't look in his mind.

Raven tried to make her promise, but then she realised it was pretty pointless trying to ask her to. Lena's telepathic ability is more advanced than Charles', even though it is Charles', and instead of searching for the thoughts, she is tuned to hear them, and they find her.

Raven can tell when she is reading her mind, and so has taken to thinking of cabbage in these moments. This makes Lena smile, and is quite welcoming to her, seeing as most of the time she knows exactly what people think of her, and just seeing images of a small green vegetable.

Another thing stopping her reading Charles' mind is that, as they've been training, he can some times sense her. He couldn't at the beginning, but after he agreed to train her to control her telepathic ability, she helped him conjure shields that can hold her mind back, and tell Charles when she's there. Not only does it make him feel more secure, but also makes him a more formidable weapon against Emma Frost.

Lena was trained by Clint Barton, Hawkeye, one of SHIELDs top agents, so she's been trainer instead of trainee. Raven told her there is a decent gym in the mansion (how big is this place?) so she's promised to help train the other mutants in hand to hand combat. She'll be helped by Moira, something she can tell Moira isn't too pleased about,but it will be fine. Lena's glad to finally have an outlet for all her training. She's a weapon, so to use her powers for good just makes her feel better every day.

Erik looks up when Raven speaks, and shakes his head when he digests what she says.

He recites his most commonly used phrase. "Bloody Telepaths!"

Raven stares at him. "Stop eavesdropping!" She tells him, then goes back to whispering with Lena about nothing in particular.

Aiysha wakes as Charles throws the map back, as it lands on her face. Alex lifts it off, laughing at her bewilderment. She looks up at him. He shifts her hand on his lap slightly, then leans his head against the hard metal side of the truck he was using for a pillow.

Aiysha's sight blurs as she plunges into a vision of what is come. She can't control when this happens, and before her reality in the truck dissaperes, she hopes she doesn't stop breathing like she did last time.

She's on a beach, wet sand beneath her. Moira is shooting at the man she assumes is Shaw, as he's wearing the helmet. Charles is standing behind him, and what surprises Aiysha is that they are wearing matching suits. Aiysha lifts her own arms, and looks down at her yellow jumpsuit, then looks closer at the face of the man deflecting the bullets. Erik. But why is he wearing Shaw's helmet. Does this means they defeat him? That's good, right?

A few feet to her right, she sees Alex, Sean and Raven, also wearing yellow suits. Raven is crying, and keeps looking over at something. Aiysha follows her line of sight, then feels her heart stops as she sees what it is. The body of Lena lies in the sand, blood staining the golden beach. Aiysha wants to go over and try and make some sense out of this, but then something else happens.

A bullet hits Charles, and he gasps. Aiysha feels her grip on this slipping away, the vision is ending. The panicked voice of Alex reaches her, and she sits up, breathing heavily.

She wipes the sweat of her forehead, and looks around her. She's lying on a table, the other surrounding her. Alex looks stressed, and his face relaxes when he sees she is okay.

"Aiysha!" Says Moira. "Are you alright?"

Aiysha nods. Charles appears, and gestures to the others.

"Leave her be. She needs to rest." If she wasn't so scared at the sight of him, knowing what is going to happen to her friend, she would be grateful.

Alex squeezes her hand, then leaves with the others. Only one person is left in the room, and they come to her side immediately.

Aiysha feels tears running down her cheeks as Lena sits beside her. She isn't think of it, Lena is a mind reader. But too late, and Aiysha realises her mistake as Lena freezes, then says,

"Charles." under her breath. Aiysha wants to hug her, tell her everything is going to be okay, but it's not. Lena is going to die.

Lena speaks very quickly.

"Aiysha, listen to me. It is very important that I do something, and I need to do it now. Charles must not know of what is going to happen to me, or to him. Let me set up some walls in your mind, so that he cannot see what you did. The future is dangerous, Aiysha, I'm sure you of all people understand."

Aiysha is astounded by her lack of concern for her own fate, but nods. Charles must not know.

Lena closes her eyes, and a weird feeling penetrates Aiysha's mind, as thought it's being dipped in freezing water.

"I have to go." Lena says. "I'll be back later."

Then she's gone, leaving Aiysha hurt and confused at her ability to block out what Lena must be feeling. She has seen the way she is going to die, and seems to show remorse only for her friend. Aiysha admires that. But it worries her as well.

Lena finds the others investigating the bunker in which Alex is going to train. Charles relaxes a bit when he sees her, as it means Aiysha is fine. He feels compelled to look after these mutants as best he can, so one getting hurt before they start fighting isn't good.

Next Charles and Raven lead the crew up a thin flight of stairs, to a room with white walls. The only furniture is a white stool in the middle. Charles sits on the stall, explaining that this room is for thinking.

Lena's heart stops. Her mind flashes to another white room, smaller, stained with red. She sees the red on this stool, on these walls. She sees things she shouldn't see, things she locked away. The box opens, and the memories fill her with fear.

The walls seem to close in on her, and the room shrinks, red glaring on the white. Her blood stains the walls, the floor, the stool. Loki's voice echoes, taunting her, and she shrieks, holding her hands over her ears, curling into a ball.

"Please!" She whispers, over and over again. "Please don't hurt me. Please!"


	7. Chapter 7- Why it hurts

Why it hurts

A/N I own nothing, everything belongs to awesome Marvel!

Raven gasps when she sees her freidn on the floor, curled up defensively, hands over her ears. Lena is muttering something, and Raven hears her voice get louder and more panicked.

Charles reaches inside her mind, looking for something calm to bring the front. Her barriers are down, and he gets inside her mind easily to begin searching. Her fear hits him like a wave; she is terrified, alone. He finds no calm thing, because every part of her brain is focused on the fear, the pain and the voice Charles can hear echoing.

'Sleep!' He tells her, and she does. Her small form goes limp, and the people in the room stare at her.

Charles goes to pick her up, but Alex stops him, pointing out unhelpfully that Charles probably isn't strong enough.

When they get downstairs to where Moira and Aiysha are, they lay Lena down and then retreat to the other side of the room. They're confused; as to why such a strong person could break down like that.

Charles and Raven stay by her. Charles removes the block in her mind, and he smiles slightly when he sees she's been trying to wake herself from the sleep. But the minute he does, the fear comes rushing back, and she sits up, eyes wide, repeating the same words.

"Please. Please don't hurt me." Lena says, and looks around her. Her eyes close for a second, and then she opens them again.

Raven hugs her.

"It's okay Lena. You are here, with us, and we won't hurt you."

"No, of course you won't. Thank you. I'm sorry for flipping out like that."

"Don't be sorry." Says Charles. "Could you tell me why it happened?"

"Oh, it's nothing." Replies Lena quickly.

She moves to get up, but the minute her legs support the weight she falls on the floor in a heap. Raven helps her back up onto the dining room table/ medical bench and Lena sighs.

"Would you guys mind if I told you to go away for a while?"

"No, no, of course!" They all says in unison, then they troop out.

When they reach the living room, they begin to fret about their friend.

Charles has some thoughts of his own. On the train from Seattle, Lena told him she was kidnapped by Thor's brother Loki. He wonders if this has something to do with it.

Charles contacted his vague friend Tony Stark a few days after Lena came back to the CIA base with him. This was to ask him about Loki, but Stark only told him a few things when Clint Barton, who was training with Stark that day, realised Stark was talking about Lena, and practically wrestled the phone off him.

From Stark, Charles learnt that she trusted him, and went to Asgard of her own free will. He wouldn't tell him why she went with Loki, and pretended he didn't know. He told him in Earth time, she was there for two weeks. That was all he could say before the Hawk's hearing picked up, grabbed the phone and began to lecture Charles on keeping Lena safe. Clint also asked him to try and persuade Lena to at least contact him, if not meet with him. Charles didn't need to use his mutation to tell Clint missed his friend desperately.

'Hey. I didn't realised you contacted Stark. Doing a bit of stalking are we?' Lenas voice in his head makes him jump. 'I need to explain a few things I think. No, just to you.' She says as he opens his mouth to tell the others.

Charles has to stop himself running down the corridor, and he has to admit to himself it isn't just curiosity that is making him want to find her.

His heart beats a hundred miles an hour when he sees her there, smiling slightly.

Her smiles fades when she thinks of what she's going to tell him. She only ever told Clint this, and he knew most of the story already.

"Don't say anything." She raises a hand to stop him from speaking. "I need to talk quickly before I stop myself from saying anything. When I was with the Avengers, when I was around 22, I met Thor's brother Loki. I can't tell you why I decided to go to Asgard with him, because I don't know this myself. He was nice, I suppose. But then something happened to change that. He used to smile, and talk to me. Gradually he spent more and more time alone, until eventually he sent guards to put me in the dungeons. When he first came to see me, he told me it was to tease the other Avengers. I had left their ranks to go with Loki, and now he had me prisoner. What happened in that white walled cell, with the single white stool in the middle, I can't tell you. I'm not to sure on it myself, I just know it's the reason I shrink at the sight of white paint, and the reason I wake myself every morning, screaming for the pain to stop."

Charles feels his stomach drop a thousand feet. Clint asked him to keep her safe, and instead he lead her into a room identically to one she was held prisoner in. Guilt surges over him.

Lena slaps him, hard, across the face. "No!" She tells him. "I won't have anyone feeling guilty for what happened to me. There is one man guilty of this and no other! I won't have every close friend I ever have worried about me, convinced that what Loki did to me was their fault! So shut up!"

She feels tears form in her eyes, and she jumps out of bed. Lena feels slightly relieved when her legs hold her weight, and she sprints off down the corridor. She stole the map of the house from Charles' head and knows exactly where the long hallway of rooms is.

The first door on the left has the name Raven carved into it, the second Charles. Lena pushes open the third door on the right, and curls up on the bed, energy gone.

She doesn't really know why she told Charles all of that, although she didn't tell him everything. It's true she doesn't know what Loki did to her, but she knows perfectly why she went with him to Asgard. She was in love with him, and him with her. Before everything went wrong, Loki was a good man, and she loved him.

That's why she's so scared. Charles is perfect, but she can't shake the feeling something will happen.

And, on top of that, Aiysha's vision haunts her. She's scared of dying, and scared for what will happen to Charles.

She loves Charles, as much she desperately tries to deny it. And he keeps his feelings behind the barrier she helped him place in his mind, that would alert him if she tried to take it down.

She's a mess.


	8. Chapter 8- A cooking lesson

A cooking lesson

A/N at the request of EzzieRulez!

Aiysha stands in the kitchen, chopping carrots for the stew. Cooking falls to her generally, because of her ability to heal quickly. That way, if she burns herself, or cuts herself, she doesn't feel too much pain, and it doesn't slow down her training.

She doesn't know whether to take this as a compliment. But, she enjoys cooking, and Moira gave her a special cook book, so maybe it's not so bad. It's not really like she has anything else to do anyway.

Since Lena's been unwell, although neither Charles or Lena will tell them why, Aiysha thought she'd do something quite British. Lena's accent is certainly British, but her origin is unknown to most of the team.

Moira, Erik, and Charles probably know. The four of them spent so much time locked in Charles' study; they must be talking about something. To be honest, it's a bit annoying, but Aiysha sort of understands. Those four are the only ones over 25, and with any common sense( not that she'd admit that to the others).

Aiysha ponders where Lena could possibly come from. She said her parents were in the Fantastic Four, but they are the same age as her. Aiysha may be only 16, but she certainly not stupid. Something is going on, and she would quite like to get the bottom of it.

Lena seemed pretty shaken though, so she doesn't want to push it.

Aiysha lifts up the chopping board, and scrapes the carrots into the large pan using the knife.

She pulls the parsnips out of the cupboard above her head, which she has to use a stool to reach. She puts them down on the chopping board, then turns to the other cupboard for a peeler.

There's a blasting noise, then she smells burnt parsnip.

"Alex!" She yells, as she spins around, forgetting she is standing on a small stool. Aiysha lets out a squeak as she falls, straight into Alex.

To her great annoyance, he's strong enough to remain standing, and he grins down at her. She scowls.

"Aww, you're cute when your angry!" He comments, earning him another scowl, which makes him laugh more.

"Why did you destroy my parsnip you idiot!" She folds her arms at him as he set her back on the ground.

"Hope that's not a euphemism!" He jokes, but the I'm-as-hard-as-steel-don't-mess-with-me look on her face seems to demands an explanation. "I hate parsnips. Everyone does. You do!" He smiles at her.

He does have a point.

"Lena does. And so does Charles." She retorts.

Alex shrugs.

"It must be a British thing." He laughs. "Anyway, why are you so eager to please Lena?" He leans his head to one side, like an owl.

"She seemed pretty shaken last week. I just want to make her feel better."

"Aww, the kindness of my beautiful healer." Alex beams at her. "But I think Lena is fine."

"Why would you say that?" It's Aiysha's turn to look puzzled.

He grins his most impish grin, and Aiysha shakes her head, laughing. "What did you do?"

He gasps in mock horror, feigning being innocent.

"I have done nothing. You'd better ask Charles. It's him, not me.."

"Tell me!" (A/N Hehe, Loki reference! Sorry, couldn't help it :-) ) she glares at him impatiently.

He mimes sealing his lips.

"Fine!" Aiysha throws her hands up in the air, and stirs the stew, turning away from him. She smiles to herself. Alex is rubbish at keeping secrets, he'll tell anyone anything. At least if she finds out first she might be able to just stop him from telling the whole world. And, as its to do with Lena, she will have to make sure he doesn't tell Erik. Erik won't take anything lightly, and seems to hate Lena's guts.

Aiysha sighs. The reason for Erik's dislike is yet another mystery presented to her she feels obliged to solve.

Alex cracks sooner than she expected. He hops up onto the work surface, knocking the chopping board onto the floor. He, sensibly, keeps the knife in his hand. But maybe the knife would be safer on the floor, Aiysha thinks, as he has a tendency to wave his hands around whilst talking.

"Okay, okay, if I give in!" He trills, clapping his hands together. Aiysha's eyes continually watch the progress of the knife.

"I think Lena is perfectly recovered, because I found her making out with Charles."

Woah. Aiysha was not expecting that. But, it's so cute; it was obvious to any girl that they fancied each other. Much to the annoyance of Moira, which was probably the only thing Erik likes about Lena. Erik dislikes Moira even more than he dislikes Lena.

"Are you sure?" She says, because you can never really tell with Alex what is truth and what isn't.

He nods cheekily.

"Well, I'm happy for them." Aiysha tells him, turning off the hob, then transferring the stew to the oven.

"Come on, Aiysha, it's not like they're getting married!" She laughs.

The knife flies out of his hand, cutting her forehead slightly. Alex leaps of the work surface, grabbing her head in both hands, apologising quickly.

She winces slightly, but then grins up at him as she feels the cut seal itself. He grins, relived.

"I'm never going to get used to that." He says, shaking his head. He kisses her forehead. "Come on, that stews done, let's go do something fun."

In the lounge, Charles and Lena are sitting across from each other at the chess board. Neither makes any movement, they just stare at each other. Charles first two fingers pressed intently against his temples, but Lena's chin is resting on her arms, which at vertical. Their eyes are level.

Alex and Aiysha share a look. Hank catches this (he misses nothing) and jerks his head in the direction of the supposed chess players.

"They've been like that for a good 45 minutes. Neither of them has moved, not once."

Alex smirks, but to Aiysha's surprise, doesn't say anything.

"Bloody Telepaths." Erik informs them, from his usual place in the corner. "They're probably having a very nice conversation ,but of course, we're not invited."

They can't help agreeing with him, although he seems to take a more pessimistic approach. The telepathic business just sort of makes the rest of them laugh.

Hank stands up.

"Aiysha, can I talk to you for a bit?" She nods, and follows Hank to his lab, which used to be Charles' when he was little( or so Raven says).

Hank pulls a small device out of the desk drawer. He flicks a few switches, and the contraption whirs, a aerial poking out the top.

"What is that?" She asks.

"Something new I've been working on. It picks up telepathic signals. I was just wondering if you thought it was okay if I used it. What Erik said; about us not 'being invited' to the conversation, I thikn maybe he doesn't get it. Maybe it's because they don't want us to hear it."

Aiysha ponders this. Hank does have a point, but she would also like to know what so secret about their conversations.

A thought hits her. "So why have you made it then?" She asks, folding her arms.

"because I'm nosy and curious. And come out n, you have to admit, we all are!" Hank laughs. It's true.

"okay, but we won't tell Alex. He will take it too far." Hank agrees with her on this. "Does it work here?" Hank nods. "Well, let's have some fun then!"


	9. Chapter 9- An uncivilised meeting

An uncivilised meeting

A/N Hello! Again! But hi! Just to say, this chapter might contain 'minor suggestive adult themes' as the guidelines put it, so rated T for a reason! Nothing major( I think, but I'm a bit paranoid about it sorry) but just putting it out there.

Erik glares at the wall. He asked Charles to meet him over an hour ago. If he wasn't so annoyed, he might even be worried. But, worrying isn't something Erik is prone to.

He suppose the reason he needs to see Charles maybe isn't the most important thing in the world, but Charles doesn't know that, and usually he's quite punctual. He'd better not be with that bloody telepath.

The door opens, and he spins around, ready to fling various abusive curses at Charles. But it's not Charles, but Moira, who stands in the doorway, and she looks shocked at the angry look Erik is giving her.

He relaxes his face into what he supposes is a neutral face. Moira gives him a funny look. Hmm, maybe it's not working too well.

If he wasn't Erik, he would apologise, and ask Moira how she is. But he is, so he just mumbles a brief apology then stares at her until she speaks.

"Have you seen Charles?' She sighs. 'I need to talk to him."

"Well get in line. I shouted for him an hour ago and it's been radio silence." Moira looks slightly relieved that Erik hasn't had any success either.

"I've checked the basement, and his study." Erik grunts to show he's heard her.

"You ask Raven. I'll check the kitchen." This is a statement, rather than a suggestion, and Moira doesn't see any room to argue. To be honest, Erik scares her a bit.

So she shrugs and walks off to find Charles' younger sister.

Erik sets off in the opposite direction. It doesn't take him long to get down the long, wide corridor, but he pauses outside.

There's silence. Erik sighs. It's tiring having to chase Charles around his mansion of a house, and no doubt he'll find him with Lena, which will put him in an even worse mood. Something about Lena just annoys the hell out of him.

He's about to turn around; look somewhere else, but then he hears a stool squeak. Of course, Telepaths don't make any noise whilst communicating.

Erik flings open the door and storms in. The two people in the room, one of which he wanted to see, and one he most certainly didn't, are sitting across from each other, either side of the high work surface, eyes closed. Charles is resting his first two fingers of his right hand onLena's temples, a sign that he is using his mutation. This must be their supposed 'training'.

When the door smashes against the tiled wall behind it, they both open their eyes and jump, spinning their stools to face him. Charles looks annoyed, Lena looks amused.

This, unfortunately, just annoys Erik more.

'What the hell Charles? Didn't you get my message?' Charles looks sheepishly back at Erik.

"Oh, yes, that. It wasn't important was it?"

Lena looks at Erik quizzically.

"He believes it was quite important.". Bad move, Charles thinks.

This comment only infuriates Erik further. The metal in the room begins to rattle.

"Erik, calm down. Surely it wasn't that important?" Charles has always been rubbish at calming people down.

"No, Charles it wasn't. I just needed to tell you something. No, no, it doesn't matter. Just carry on reading the mind of your girlfriend."

Erik doesn't really know what is happening. His temper has never got this out of control , and he doesn't know why he's saying what he's saying.

His words have the effect he wanted on Charles though. Charles purses his lips, and glares at Erik.

"She's not my girlfriend." He says quietly. "Now get out of my sight before I make you leave my house."

Something about the look on Charles' face tells Erik he should go. So he does, self control and dignity in tatters.

When Erik is out of ear range, Lena turns to Charles, looking wounded.

"I'm not your girlfriend?"

Charles feels guilty.

"Um.. No. Sorry if I made you think otherwise."

"Um.. No you didn't. I was joking." She rolls her eyes. Charles sends her a sideways glance, trying to scan her emotions.

"Oh. Okay."

The room lapses into an awkward silence.

Charles tries to figure out his own emotions, as hers are too difficult to decipher. He likes Lena, certainly, and maybe more than that, he doesn't know. He also doesn't know what he's going to do.

This answer is found for him when he finds her kissing him.

This isn't too bad, Lena thinks. This is the first time they'd actually kissed, as Alex as usual has been over exaggerating when he told Aiysha of his exciting news. Actually, this is verging on the side of good.

After what happened with Loki ,Lena thought she'd never fall in love again. But she has, deeply, and suddenly.

So she's kinda relieved when Charles kisses her back.

...

Erik lurks in the shadows, waiting for Charles. He still needs to talk to him, no matter how mad he might be.

He waits.

At around midnight, he's woken from his sleep by two voices, two footsteps.

Charles and Lena are on the landing in front of him, laughing and talking. Hey haven't seen Erik, so he continues to sulk in the shadows.

Charles looks towards his door further down the corridor. They look ready to part, but then Charles kisses her. Erik scowls. He feels rude witnessing this moment, but at the same time just really really pissed off.

Then, to Erik's even greater annoyance, Lena pulls Charles by his tie into her room, shutting the door behind both of them. Erik feels disgusted. He thought Charles had more sense than this.

...

Erik waits in the lounge, behind his newspaper. He's still sulking. Moira enters, holding a cup of coffee. She looks at Erik questioningly.

"Did you find Charles last night?"

Erik nods. "And?"

"He was in no fit state to talk to anyone." The tone of Erik's voice signals the conversation is over. Moira is unfortunately not great at taking hints.

"I'm going to look for him."

"Wouldn't look in his room."

Moira decides she probably doesn't want to know why Erik believes this to be the case, and assumes Charles was just extremely drunk. But she thought Charles had more sense than that.

If he was drunk, Moira supposes, he would have been able to find his way back to his room.

She knocks on his door. No response. She knocks again, louder, and more insistent. Again, no response. Moira presses her ear to the door, listening for any sign of movement.

She grumbles to herself as she crosses the corridor to Lena's room. She will probably have clue where Charles is, and anyway, she might find him easily.

Moira knocks on Lena's door. She hears a tired groan inside, but footsteps come to the door. The door swings open and Moira opens her mouth to say something, but all words that even thought about forming are lost when she be holds the sight in front of her. A slightly dishelleved Charles looks at her, yawning.

"Charles, this is Lena's room." Moira tells him in disbelief. He looks at the door, feigning surprise.

"So it is. Good morning to you to Moira. What can I do for you?" He leans against the door casually.

"Erik wanted to speak to you." Moira opens her mouth as if she wants to add something to this, but shuts it again. She wanders off.

Charles shrugs. He needs some tea.

...

Erik flops the newspaper down as Charles walks in.

"Good morning, lover boy."

"Good morning. And I don't really catch your meaning."

"Yes, you do. Just be thankful it was me waiting up for you last night, rather than one of the kids. They wouldn't take as kindly to your actions towards Miss Richards."

"And you are taking kindly?" Charles shakes his head. "Tea, Erik?"

Erik glares at him. "I'll take that as a no."

"I'll have some tea." Lena tells Charles, throwing his tie at him.

"Of course you will." Comments Erik. "You're British." Lena nods, laughing.

"Coffee?" Charles tries.

Erik holds up his steaming mug, and shrugs.

"You know, I thought you two would have better things to do than make tea and do whatever you do. What about all this saving the world business?" Erik looks at them disapprovingly.

"Does the world need saving at..." Charles looks at his watch. "8:00 am?"

"It might do."

A/N was this okay? Please let me know in the lovely little box in the corner of your screen! :-)


	10. Chapter 10- What changes everything

What changes everything

A/N Hello! Again, may be 'minor suggestive adult themes', so rated T for a reason. Then again, it could just be me being paranoid so it might be fine. Either way, I hope you like it!

A few weeks later

Charles stares at Lena from his position from across the chess board. What she is saying to him makes him smile, and he flirts back. Erik glares at them. He still thinks their new relationship is inappropriate, firstly because of the sensitivity of it; they are meant to be finding Shaw, and secondly because here are children present. Hank's new invention hasn't escaped his notice, and he's pretty sure whatever is going on inside those two heads isn't pretty.

Erik grips his newspaper tightly, his knuckles going white as he looks at the chessboard. Charles has let him down in many ways. However this ends, Erik's sure they won't part as friends.

He scowls when Aiysha laughs. Alex is trying to teach her how to play table football, but is totally failing. Unless you count beating her hands down teaching her. Aiysha doesn't seem to mind though.

Hank notices Erik glare towards the two telepaths, and he pulls a small metal device out of his pocket. He begins to fiddle with some of the knobs, and a small whirring sound begins. Hank looks up quickly to see the reaction of the test subjects, but they are motionless.

Aiysha looks over at Hank curiously. He hasn't used it before, so she's curious to see if it works.

Erik walks over to Hank and stand behind him, his eyes fixed on the small screen. He's grateful Hank has kindly made the device out of metal, so if things go to far, Erik can crush it. Erik doesn't particularly want the children knowing about the relationship between Charles and Lena. It would completely set them off course to finding Shaw, and finding Shaw is the most important thing at the moment.

Letters flash up on the screen, and Hank turns one of the knobs excitedly. He screws up his nose. He doesn't understand what Charles and Lena are talking about. For once, the genius is stalled.

He doesn't have much time to ponder this, though, because an even stranger thing happens. This takes him less time to get to the bottom of. He glares at Erik, after watching his new toy collapse in on itself.

Erik gives him a stern look. Hank crosses his arms, sulking.

Lena suddenly gets up, holding her stomach. That's weird, she thinks. It's not due for another week at least. Nausea washes over her, and she runs out. She dashes as quickly as she can up to her bedroom, her stretched arm unlocking the door whilst she's still running up the stairs.

She makes it just in time. Lena leans back on the cold bathroom floor, and it chills her hot, feverish body.

Lena doesn't like being ill. It means she can't train, and can't think straight. So hopefully Shaw won't attack in the next few days.

Raven and Aiysha rush in, to find Lena sprawled on the floor, completely and utterly asleep. Between them, they lift her onto her bed and lock her door.

[][][][][]

Lena crouches on the bathroom floor. The light flashes the exact colour she doesn't want it to flash. Congratulations, the screen tells her, a baby is on the way!

Lena curls up in a ball, and begins to sob.


	11. Chapter 11- A beach

A beach

A/N Sorry for the long amount of time it took me to write this!

The X-Men, newly suited up, stand in a line, whilst Hank starts the plane.

Alex feels stupid in this Canary yellow suit, but he won't say anything. He's surprised at himself, as he hasn't poked fun at Hank's new appearance or the costumes.

Aiysha is nothing short of terrified. She knows how this ends, and she doesn't want it to happen. The yellow suit feels too tight, almost suffocating her. Lena smiles, trying to calm her.

Alex catches this and is rather confused. Lena hasn't smiled in weeks now, one day, that day that Erik destroyed Hank's machine, she's been grumpy, snappy and tired. Not even Charles, with his usual knack of knowing everything cannot tell what is going on. Moira has put it down to stress, after all, the world is in their hands.

Charles doesn't believe this. Why would it suddenly have this effect; she changed overnight. But, he supposed, maybe he shouldn't think about this now. He has the world to save.

"Right." He says, once they are all aboard the plane. He pulls a map out his pocket, and points to various sections of it. "This is where we land. We have to stop this boat here, crossing this line." He runs his finger across the middle. "Banshee, you will send out radar, and sense the location of the submarine. Then, let us know and Erik will lift it out the water."

Alex is impressed.

"Wow, Erik, I didn't know you could do that!"

Erik smirks, but doesn't reply.

Moira looks at Charles sceptically, noticing he isn't developing on his plan.

"What happens then?" She asks.

He smiles.

"I have absolutely no idea. I know we have to get the helmet off Shaw, then either Lena or I can freeze him to bring him into custody( Erik rolls his eyes at this), but I think Lena will probably have her hands full."

Though only Aiysha knows why, this statement will probably turn out to be true. Dying takes up quite a lot of your time.

Lena wishes the plane could go faster, magically transport them to their destination. She asks herself why. Honestly, she thinks, she is scared. So very scared. As selfish as it seems, she doesn't want to die.

But she supposed it is easier than what would have to happen if she lived. The baby would start to show, and what then? The baby of two of the most powerful mutants in the world? A whole lot of people would want to get their hands on the child, and what would Lena do then? So maybe dying is easier. She has to die at some point, she just wishes it wasn't today.

She looks down at her hand, which Aiysha is gripping tightly. If anything, Lena wishes she wasn't dying today for Aiysha's sake. She feels sorry for Aiysha, the poor girl knowing when her friend is going to die, and not being able to do a thing about it. But she can't think of any reassuring things. How do you comfort someone on your way to a sea full of missiles, where you will be one the casualties?

She hugs Aiysha, pulling her small friend close. Aiysha is crying now.

Alex touches Aiysha's face, and starts whispering to her. Aiysha smiles, although Alex's comforts are only quelling half the fears. She has to toughen up for Lena. It's bad enough for her as it is, knowing her fate. She's quite sure she isn't helping that.

Charles notices the small exchange between the two girls opposite him, and searches Aiysha's mind. He finds a locked box, and starts to break down its barriers.

Someone coughs. Charles looks up, and Lena shakes her head slowly at him.

He leaves the box untouched, confused, but he supposed it can wait.

Hank hovers above the sea, and Erik, Charles and Sean stand up.

Once Sean has located Shaw's submarine, Erik finally feels the adrenaline rush that he feels whenever the chase is on. His final enemy is going down. But first he has to go up.

Erik summons his mutation, pulling on the large metal object down near the base of the sea. To Shaw, it may be millions of pounds, or a secret palace, but to Erik, it is just another piece of metal, another thing he can control. That he supposes, is his biggest mistake. He sneers. He would never make that mistake.

He feels the sub lifting, breaking through the layers of water, and finally through the surface. Water sprays in every direction, and Erik receives a lovely shower. He doesn't mind though, the new emotion inside him is overwhelming.

He's felt like this before, before his mother was killed, before he met Shaw. He feels happy. Erik doesn't really know what to do. He knows happiness is just a passing craze, so assumes this will pass too.

Above him, Charles is smiling, but Erik, seriousness back, feels no inclination to smile. Erik will repress this happiness until Shaw is dead, never to bother him again.

He throws the sub onto the beach, smiling( nastily) at the crunching sound.

Charles feels a blockage, that doesn't allow him to sense Shaw's location. Luckily, this sends him Shaw's location as easily as if he had put balloons up.

Hank lands the plane quickly, and the X-Men run out. Erik heads off towards the sub, followed Charles, whose mind is already searching for the other mutants in Shaw's service.

Charles feels a hand on his shoulder and he turns. Lena is there, and he can see the fear into Dr eyes. But, he realises, the fear is not for her, but for him.

"Whatever happens, remember I love you." Charles is slightly taken aback by these words. He though his relationship with Lena was over. Oh, how he wishes it wasn't.

She kisses him, quickly. "Now go." She says, smiling. "Save the world."

Then Azazel grabs Hank, and the battle begins.

Hank digs his sharp claws into Azazel, who swiftly teleports to a tree, and then Hank wrestles him the ground.

Angel flies overhead, spitting fireballs at all and sundry. The suits protect them from the worst burns, but the burning material won't stand more than one hit on the same spot.

Alex sends a blast of energy at her, making a whole in one of her wings. Angel comes crashing down, smoke trailing behind her as she spins lopsidedly. She lands ungracefully in a heap on sand, but stands up quickly, wings tucked away.

Alex begins to walk towards her, but Aiysha gets there first. In the month or two spent training in the mansion, Aiysha has become an expert in hand to hand combat. And of course, she heals incredibly quickly, which makes her a tough opponent.

Alex watches slightly bemused as Aiysha kicks Angel in the head, but Alex soon becomes occupied with Riptide, whose hurricanes have become rather problematic.

Lena is tackling Emma Frost.

( A/N Emma Frost has not been captured by the CIA in this version of events!)

Lena dissaperes, and stretches a long arm round, hitting Emma in the head. Emma falls, turning into her diamond form. Lena scowls. She supposed it was inevitable, but it does make it slightly trickier to defeat her. She hopes she has the time, because her clock is ticking.

She picks Emma up, and stretches her hand and arm above the clouds, then drops Emma. The diamond cracks slightly, but leaves Emma unconscious, but no serious damage done.

Azazel sees what has been done to his friend, or at least to his comrade, and as soon as he is free from Hank's grasp for a single second, teleports.

Lena becomes visible, and looks around. Then she feels the sharp pain, and looks down to see a pointed tail sticking out of her stomach, having gone all the way through. Her first thought is ow, her second Charles, and her third baby.

Azazel teleports again, leaving the crumpled form of Lena behind him.

Aiysha screams, and shoves Angel off her, and leaves Alex to zap her, which he does, then runs over to join her by Lena, who is lying on her back, breathing slowly.

Her fingers go to her stomach, then come back to her vision red. She feels a few tears falling down her face.

"Lena!" Aiysha kneels down by her friend, clutches her hand. "Lena, please." Aiysha is crying too.

Lena feels pain, but not just from the wound, also in her mind. She has to leave her Charles, and her baby has to die. If given the option now, if either she or her baby could survive, she would save the life of her child, her baby. But this can never happen.

"It hurts." Is what she says out loud.

An idea comes to Aiysha.

"Lena, your mutation!"

Lena smiles feebly.

"Which one?"

"The one you were born with, the ability to copy other mutations!" Aiysha feels her heart lifting, maybe she can save her friend.

Lena's expression turns to stone.

"No!" She says. "It's too dangerous."

"Please Lena! If you copy my mutation to heal, then you will be okay!"

"Aiysha, no! We are both too tired, and there are so many complications! I won't let you risk your life!"

"Shut up Lena!" This is Alex. "It's not your decision. If Aiysha is willing to do this for you, then you should bloody well let her!" He's crying too. "Lena, please."

Seeing the desperation in their eyes, and knowing her own common human desire to survive, Lena nods.

"Aiysha, concentrate on your healing mutation, healing only, and just think of healing. Then, touch my hand. It will feel like a small electric shock, or so I've been told, but it let hurt. And you will still have your mutation, I promise."

Aiysha does this, and there's a snap when their hands touch. Aiysha's hair stands on end.

"Do you... Do you know how to use it?" Aiysha sniffs, holding back her tears, as she doesn't see the wound healing.

"Please leave me." Lena says. "I'll be fine."

Then she stops breathing, and Aiysha screams.

Raven and Moira rush over, then stop.

Charles and Erik run out of the sub,and Charles falls to his knees.

He repeats the single word 'no' over and over, cradling Lena's limp body. This can't be happening. His mind flashes back to the last time he saw her, her fear and her words. It's like a switch flicks.

"She knew." He says, but he doesn't really know why this is helping. If anything, this makes it worse. He sent her to fight, when she knew she would die. He feels a sense of overwhelming self-revulsion, and he stands up, laying Lena down. "She knew."

He looks at Aiysha, who nods slowly. Aiysha knew, she had seen it. And Lena had hidden this from him, and faced her death bravely. He wonders what else Aiysha saw, but his attention is diverted by the rather large number of bombs hurtling towards the beach.

Erik walks forwards, and stops the missiles in their tracks. He begins to spin them. For crying out loud, Charles thinks. Bloody Erik and his anti-human crap!

Moira begins to shoot at Erik, who deflects the bullets. Aiysha begins to cry, more panicked than before, and she screams.

But it's too late. The bullet hits Charles' back, and she knows everything is coming true. But this time,it's no bad dream, and she's not going to wake up.

Alex sends a stream of light towards Erik, who dodges it. Erik strangles Moira with the chain round her neck, and he hisses at her.

"You did this!" He says.

"No, Erik," Charles coughs, "you did."

Erik's anger and grief fills him as he stops strangling Moira. His mother, dead because of him. And now Charles, who will surely die.

He must leave, run away.

"Who will join me? Mutants must be superior, and we must defeat the humans." Emma, Riptide, Azazel and Angel walk to stand beside Erik. Then Raven, who takes one last look at her two friends, who are dying or dead in the sand, and takes Azazel's hand. A flash, and they are gone.


	12. Chapter 12- A hospital

A hospital

A/N Sorry this took a while, I couldn't post whilst on holiday :-(

Moira holds Charles' hand as the trolley he is lying is rushed through the hospital corridors. She has to run to keep up, and it hurts to hear him moaning.

"It's okay Charles." She whispers, over and over again. "We're almost there."

It feels wrong to be the one comforting him. Moira feels a pang of guilt, then shakes her head. Lena should be here, but she can't be. Lena is dead. Moira looks at Charles, at the pain and sorrow on his face. She knows the pain isn't just from the bullet in his spine, but also from the death of Lena. Another problem Moira is unable to fix.

This wounds her over and over again. Moira's downfall has always been wanting to fix things she cannot. Ever since her uncle blamed her for the death of her mother, problems she can't fix have become her nightmare.

Memories flash before her tired eyes. She's five, sitting outside the burned down ruin of her house, watching silently as the ambulance takes away her mothers body, blocking out the angry shouts of her uncle, telling her she should have called the fire brigade, or the police, or the man next door. She just didn't think of that.

Now, she's eleven, watching her older sister's heart being broken. Moira finds the boy at school, thinking she can make him change his mind. But he just sneers at her, and so instead she just holds her sister whilst she cried.

That's why she joined the CIA. So that she might get faced with problem she could fix.

Then Moira is back in the bright, sterile hospital corridor, standing still, watching as a nurse tries to lead her away, as Charles is taken away. The door closes, and she's alone, apart from the persistent nurse. But she's not much company.

*back at the mansion*

When he sets the limp body of his friend down, Alex feels the grief rush towards him like a tsunami. Fresh waves, ever stinging, ever drowning him.

He looks over at Aiysha, and knows she feels the same. Why? He asks. Why her? No one answers.

Hank sits in a metal chair, staring into space. So much loss. When he'd agreed to help Charles, he'd never imagined himself getting this caught up, caring this much, and then losing so much. Darwin. Lena. And, in a way, Raven.

Sean locks himself in his room, screaming. The walls shake and windows smash, but he keeps on screaming. When Darwin died, he vowed he would never just watch one of his friends die. He broke the most important vow, and he let her down.

Aiysha cannot compute this amount of guilt. She didn't warn anyone. Her power transferral didn't work. She didn't watch out for Lena. All these things whir round and round as she looks at her friend's face, and as she squeezes the cold, limp hand.

A doorbell rings, stirring them. Charles.

Hank is at the door first, yanking it open, wrenching off the iron handle. Too late, he realises it is a nurse.

The nurse's mouth opens as she sees Hank, blue fur on end and teeth bared.

He smiles.

"Hello!" He says, grinning insanely.

The nurse's eyes roll back into her head as she falls to the ground. Hank frowns, then is shoved out of the way by Alex as a medic leaps out the van, opening the doors to the ambulance. Alex mimics the smile tried by Hank, leaning up against the wall.

The medic comes over, holding a clip board and looking worried. Alex remembered a time when, as a kid, he had wondered whether a worried face is something constantly plastered onto the faces of medics, and if you made them smile their face would crack and split.

"Hello sir." She says. "You are most likely aware that the owner of this house is currently in hospital."

Alex nods. "Well, would you like to identify yourself; I have here a list of people designated to remain here by the owner, Charles Xavier." The medic hands Alex a piece of paper from her clipboard.

He points to a name.

"Alexander Summers. That's me."

"Of course sir, but I'm going to need ID."

Alex opens his mouth, then closes it again. His only form of ID is the CIA one, telling whoever reads it he was formerly in solitary confinement for destroying everything he could. He feels the medic would either insist he be removed from the premises, or doubt Charles' judgement, or both.

Aiysha steps forwards beside Alex. He looks down at the small book in her hand in surprise. The medic looks at Aiysha expectantly.

Aiysha smiles sweetly after checking the list in Alex's hand. A name makes her head spin, but she sees Aiysha James and ignores the others.

"I'm Aiysha James. Nice to meet you." Aiysha holds her hand out for the medic to shake, then holds out her passport.

The medic checks it, then smiles slightly( Alex jumps).

"It all seems to be in order. I'm afraid Mr Xavier is still in Intensive Care, but we have someone for you."

Alex and Aiysha follow the medic over the van, which contains Moira, who is sitting cross legged on the floor.

Moira's eyes light up when she sees the pair, and stands up. She doesn't say anything, just follows Alex inside. Aiysha stays to question the medic.

"What happened?"

"She blacked out in a corridor. She's in shock. Anyone would be. Is there anything else I can help you with. You look upset. Mr Xavier will be fine; he's expected to make a full recovery. I'm afraid I can't tell you anything, patient confidentiality."

Aiysha nods.

"Yes, of course. I'm fine, just the shock of course. I'll look after Moira."

The medic smiles.

"Good girl. We will let you know when he is expected to return."

And with that, she gets into her van, joined by the slightly frightened nurse, who was roused by Alex. She shoots a few worried glances over her shoulder, which makes Alex smile slightly. Hank sits in the hall, in the shadows, just out of sight until the van is gone, leaving behind it dust and a slight sense of unease.

Aiysha thinks at the name she saw near the bottom of the list.

_Eleanor_ _Laufeyson_

She doesn't know any Laufeysons. Lena was shortened from Eleanor, she knew that, but she was a Richards. So who was this Laufeyson?


	13. Chapter 13- A goodbye

A goodbye

A/N Only a few more chapters to go! But I'm sort of planning a sequel with the whole Loki/Clint/Avengers thingy and then a prequel so yeah :-) hope you like this chapter :-D

Lena opens her eyes. She's out of breath, surprised and shocked. She's alive, after everything, she's alive. Her mutation, her proper, original one, worked. It copied Aiysha's healing mutation, although not perfectly, so although Aiysha usually heals quickly, it took Lena a while to heal.

She sits up, and looks around her. Now she's awake, she can feel the cold of the table beneath her. Her hands shiver involuntarily.

Lena strains her eyes to see through the dark. Round her, she can see the rough outline of flowers, lots of them.

She jumps off, avoiding the blooms, then runs to the wall and turns on the light. The darkness scares her, although not as much as walls of pure white. The flowers are all different colours, pinks, yellows and reds. Attached to them are notes, from her friends.

She turns one over in her hand. Written in the neat handwriting of Aiysha is 'I'm sorry. Goodbye.'. The message from Alex is much the same. They all are. They are all sorry, all sad. And she's done this to them.

But then she smiles, up at the sky. The person who decided her fate was clever, very clever. She may have a nack of falling in love with the wrong person, but they always give her a way out. She escaped from Asgard. So she will escape from here.

Just in case, she goes invisible. She passes as silently as she can through the room, but her eyes are caught by a small pile of folded booklets on the wooden desk.

In memory of Eleanor Laufeyson

1992-2015

Service held on 27th June 2014

Lena's heart stops in her mouth. Her funeral is in two days time. And Laufeyson. She told Charles about her real surname, even though she has been using her maiden name most of the time. Only, he needed her passport for something, and even though her husband( or she likes to think of it as former, as she hasn't seen him for 2 years) is not of this world, that is official name now.

But her body will be missing if she leaves now. She can't lie there and pretend to be dead, somebody would catch her breathing, and there is no way she is letting them out her in a coffin. That would be scary.

She's just have to trick them, and in more ways than one. An image of a body, and she will have to find a coffin now, and put the image inside it( not even she can conjure an image that someone can touch), then trick someone into thinking they put her in the coffin.

Well, whoever said faking your own death was easy?

(27th June 2014)

Charles manoeuvres his wheelchair carefully around the room to the desk to collect the order of services. Moira said she could fetch them, but Charles decided he needed to.

He said it was for practice with this wheelchair, but he knows it is to show Lena, if she is watching, that life goes on. Not that he's coping well without her, but he would want her to think that. Even if he's mad at her for leaving him like this.

Especially when he knows she knew it was going to happen.

For this he is equally angry with himself. Did she not trust him enough? Was he too cold, or did he just seem uninterested? She was behaving differently, he noticed that, but he didn't do anything. Why. Did. He. Not?! If he had asked, maybe she might still be alive.

This guilt is the worst part.

He clenches his hands tightly, too tightly, on the arms of the chair. There are already lots of these marks and scratches on his chair. He feels hot tears prickling at his eyes, something he had never really experienced before but has become an expert on in the past week or so.

The worst was when he had to get all of her things. She had no official will, but they found some paper stating her wishes for everything to go to Clint Barton. So Charles packaged everything up, and sent it to the address he found in a book in her rucksack. He didn't invite Barton to the funeral, and just kept it a small thing.

He knew Lena cared about Barton, but just couldn't bring himself to invite him. He couldn't really explain this feeling. Nothing personal, he thinks.

A hand touches his shoulder. Moira.

"We need to go."

Charles doesn't protest at her words, doesn't mention that he could reschedule this whole thing, doesn't mention anything. Just follows her, quietly and with a trail of misery left behind him.

The service is painful, reminding him again and again of what he has lost. Funerals are meant to be for the living to remember the dead, but to Charles it feels like the dead are remembering the living. Lena was so alive, so happy, living and beautiful. Charles just feels dead inside, empty and hollow and cold.

123456789

Lena sits on a chair, far out from the small huddle of people, still invisible.

It feels weird to cry at her own funeral, when she knows she isn't really dead, but she does it anyway. She feels likes she has lost something, and maybe she has. She'll never see Charles again, that much she knows. That's why she didn't pull out of the healing process up until it had healed the child. So she won't be alone.

The first time she disastrously fell in love, she hid herself away. This time, she'll be doing it again, only better. So she can't be found; although, who will be looking for her. Being dead means you can't just go anywhere you like.

But she will have to find Clint. She knows Charles hasn't actually informed him of her death, but Clint will have received all of her things that were in her room. He's an intelligent guy, he would have figured out that she had( supposedly) died.

Somehow Lena finds a line drawn between her new friends thinking she is dead, and Clint thinking she is dead. As much as she loves the first lot, she can bear leaving them to grieve, they don't know her like the latter does.

She walks away, towards the house for the last time. She gathers a rucksack she got from the supply room, which is full of enough food to get her to Clint's flat in Montana. It's very easy to ride buses for free when you can trick the driver into thinking you have a bus pass. She knows everything she is doing is evil and wrong, and usually she wouldn't, but she figures informing her best friend she isn't dead calls for these drastic measures. She would call him, but guesses he wouldn't believe it was her.

Ah well.

Time to go, she supposes.


	14. Chapter 14- Old friends

Old friends

A/N This is the second to last chapter of this story :-( but the prequel( will be classed as an Avengers fanfic) called 'The wisdom of a foolish girl in love' ( or something like that anyway) will be up soon! I'm so excited! I'm also excited about Age of Ultron, is everybody else? Ssh, I haven't seen it yet no spoilers please! Wow, sorry, I'm going on a bit here. Well, enjoy! ( I will be quite now :-D)

Lena pauses outside the house. She takes a deep breath, and prepares what she is going to say in her head. How to explain her nearly two year absence from his life. How to explain how she died and ended up back on his doorstep. How to explain that he needs to keep this a secret, how she doesn't want to go back to the Avengers.

Her fingers drum the space of wall beside the buzzer. She can't bring herself to do this. It took her three times alone to even get up the garden path. Just seeing the postbox with the name Barton painted on in fresh green paint( this house is new for Clint, he's moved out of New York only recently,) just makes her stomach curl in on itself and then she feels sick to the core.

She's been standing on the fading door mat for around 15 minutes, trying to figure out why she feels this way. She left him, and she feels guilty. But she left him because he felt guilty. This whole thing is such a complicated mess.

Part of her is saying 'it's Clint, he'll be fine! He trusts you no matter what, he told you that, many many times.'. When that half is dominant, she has no trouble. She lifts her hand again from where it's dropped to rest by her side again and prepares to push the buzzer.

But then another part of her whistles in her ear. Saying, 'you left him, he probably never wants to see you again. He's moved on from his old friend. Don't take the chance of him not wanting your friendship, or your explanation, just run away and don't look back.'. So she lets her arm go back by her side, and turns round to slide down the wall. Lena tucks up her knees to her chest, hugging her knees and rocking gently, unable to stop he silent tears flowing.

Clint wouldn't cast her out would he? 'You cast him out first.' Says the unhelpful voice in her head. 'All those phone calls you never replied to. Texts. Letters. Emails.'

"Shut up!" Lena tells herself, out loud but softly. "Shut up shut up shut up."

Using the last of her strength, physical and emotional, Lena stands up. She lifts her arm, once to wipe away the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand, twice to rest her finger on the buzzer.

She really hopes he is in.

Then she presses it.

She hears the notice echo through the house, and begins to panic when the door isn't immediately thrown open. Then she reminds herself, he could be busy. Clint generally always is.

All emotional strength gone, she begins to cry, softly, trying to be quiet.

When the door opens, all the barriers she threw up at the beginning of this trip disappear. She looks at Clint, who stands shell shocked in the doorway. He doesn't move, still as a statue, his mouth open slightly.

"Clint, I'm.. I'm so sorry." Lena chokes on her words, crying faster, sobbing. She turns her head down. "Sorry. Bye..."

She doesn't even have time to think of Plan B when she is pulled against a strong chest, arms around her.

Lena laughs slightly, hugging Clint. She sniffles. "Oh Clint, I'm so sorry."

"Ssh." He says. "It's okay. You're here now. I'm here."

She doesn't know how long they stand there, friends again, then she doesn't care. She loves Clint, although not in the way she loves Charles. Clint is her best friend, and there has to be some love in that doesn't there?

Clint gives her a steaming mug. She glances inside, checking its contents. He laughs.

"Still don't trust my tea making skills then?"

"Of course not. You've been drinking coffee your whole life, you don't understand how we British like our tea." Clint laughs again.

"I got the milk right though?" She sips it to test, then nods.

"Yes."

They both laugh. Then Clint put his head on an angle, questioning her with his look, the look that gave him the name Hawkeye. This makes her smile more, and he looks confused.

"What?" She shakes her head, laughing.

"Nothing." He raises his eyebrows, but doesn't reply. "I suppose I have to explain a few things." He nods slowly.

"Don't say anything yet if you don't want to. You're tired. And hungry probably."

"Okay, but I'm going to tell you anyway. I don't think I can wait any longer. You don't know how long it took me to ring the doorbell."

"I do." He say, looking slightly amused. In reply to her confused frown, he says, "they don't call me Hawkeye for nothing you know." And taps his nose with his first finger. She smiles, and hits him lightly. He grins.

So she tells him everything.

About going to her parents' boring department store for two years and stacking shelves.

Deserting the store at the first chance and leaving with Charles Xavier.

Meeting another group of mutants, and training.

Fighting Shaw and dying.

She leaves out the bit about falling in love for now.

Clint raises his eyebrows when she says she came back to life.

"I would have though defying death was something beyond even you." She smiles, almost sadly, into her cup of tea, which tries it's best to understand.

"Never underestimate Eleanor Richards." Clint notices her pointed use of Richards. She's left behind Laufeyson, except on official documents, so maybe he should too. Stop feeling guilty about something he deep down know wasn't his fault.

There's a question he needs to know the answer to though.

"Why did you leave then, once you were resurrected? Couldn't you just have explained to your friends?"

Ah. Lena hoped he wouldn't ask that, but she shouldn't have doubted Clint, who never misses a beat. Well, here goes nothing.

"I'm.. I'm pregnant." Clint's mouth drops open. That was not what he was expecting. He tired to speak, but finds it difficult. She smiles ruefully.

"Who?" Clint manages at last. Lena clenches the handle of the mug so tightly her knuckles turn white.

"Charles Xavier. I.. I was in love with him."

"Honestly? Honestly in love?" This isn't the first time Clint has asked her this question, and the memory brings pain for both of them. They wince.

"Yes. More than before. I loved him more than anything." Clint stands and hugs her again, as she's crying again. What a peculiar day.

"Well, that's okay. It's okay. But boy, do you have a knack of falling in love with the wrong people. But it's okay. I'm never letting you out of my sight again."

Lena nods.

"Okay. If that's okay with you. I'd like to stay with you. Just remember, I'm meant to be dead. And I'd like to stay that way, even with the other Avengers."

"Of course. Sometimes being dead is easier. Nobody gives you any crap when you are dead."

Lena laughs softly into Clint's shoulder.

"No, no they don't."


	15. Chapter 15- Aftermath

Aftermath

A/N okay last chapter of Miss Fantastic! Sorry it has been a while since the last chapter, but I have exams so I have to revise :-( I'd much rather be writing but studying has to be done. Stay tuned please for the prequel, which I will write soon, I promise. Thank you all for reading and reviewing! It's so great to have your support! :-)

Charles manoeuvres his wheelchair with difficultly around the dark kitchen, drunkenly reaching for the next bottle. He leans forward slightly, and his long hair falls over his eyes, brushing against the stubble on his chin.

He sighs when he sees the cabinet is empty. He looks around him, searching for a full bottle. But all he sees is empty ones.

Except, over there, one. He makes a motion towards it, but the wheelchair doesn't move. Charles squints through the darkness. There. Right in front of him, a slightly purple force field.

He laughs to himself. He really must be drunk. The only person who cared about him that could do that is gone. He's imagining things, like he always is.

Every now and then, he feels like someone is watching him. He feels like that, or he would, if he wasn't completely intoxicated.

He hears a smash. On the floor, dark liquid pooling on the floor, is the bottle. Charles swears to himself.

No more drink tonight. He'll send Hank out in the morning. He'll clear up the mess in the morning. He'll do everything tomorrow. Or the day after.

A/N sorry... This was really short... But I promise it won't be long until I start putting up other stuff, so yay. Thanks again everyone!


End file.
